The optical fibres must be connected accurately; these connections may be permanent connections or splices, or detachable connections.
There are several mechanical methods of connecting fibres, but such methods are generally cumbersome and complicated and require very high precision machining to maintain the fibre ends opposite each other within acceptable tolerances.
It is known to align two optical fibres end to end by means of a channel defined by three solid metal cylinders which are tangential to one another, in pairs. One already known method consists in forming two end pieces for each junction, each end piece being constituted by three cylindrical rods which are tangential in pairs which leave a channel between them for an optical fibre to pass, each group of three rods being disposed inside a V-shaped groove; the three rods are prevented from moving by transverse bearing means (see the Applicants' U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,777. These means for preventing movement consist of clamping pads or of a elastomer cylinder. However, this method does not give full satisfaction with respect to attenuation losses from one fibre to the next.
The device according to the present invention remedies these drawbacks and provides improved performances with respect to the prior art.